OK, if you hang out on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest, you have no doubt noticed that quote graphics are extremely popular. It’s true! These visuals have gone viral, especially those that layer meaningful sayings with cool photos to project thoughts, beliefs, moods and attitudes.

I suppose it’s the eternal educator in me, but several times last summer when I spotted some of those images in my feeds, I have thought to myself, That would be a neat visual writing prompt! So, now I have a confession to make! I’ve actually saved many of them to my ever-growing collection and have already begun utilizing them in my classroom.

Because I believe integrating visuals into all content areas across the K-12 curriculum is very valuable for students, I have already shared previous articles on my blog regarding this particular subject. Not only can images spark an interest in writing, but they can be utilized to generate a thought-provoking discussion as well. That said, I began thinking further about how beneficial teaching with images can be, and then the epiphany came! Why not locate a few web tools that allow teachers and/or students to create their very own quote graphics? Well, fast forward to this morning when I began my search for a simple classroom resource to get the job done.

Of course, my search resulted in locating more than enough options, but after several hours of experimenting the winner is—ReciteThis! So, why was this web tool my personal choice? Well, for starters, it’s free, super easy to use and contains a variety of nifty templates to bring your words of wisdom to life. Forty-two of them to be exact! Another useful feature includes a built-in quote gallery in which users can locate a saying in one of 20 categories. Simply double click on the desired message, and it’s automatically inserted into the workspace. Yeah, it’s really that cool!

After a quote of choice has been entered or selected, ReciteThis users have the ability to preview it by scrolling through the template gallery. Once the perfect background image has been located, the finished product can be posted to Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Stumbleupon and/or downloaded to your device. A permalink is also available.

Just an FYI: A watermark is placed on the image, but the tradeoff for educators is that there is no public gallery to worry about—as is the case with similar web tools I explored.

Check out the example I created below:

Classroom Connection:

The use of quotes and/or images to motivate and/or inspire students is not a new concept. I personally incorporate both on a regular basis and can honestly say that this strategy is one of my most favorite ways to begin the day/class.

ReciteThis is the perfect tool for teachers who are looking for a quick and easy yet powerful way to create their own quote images and/or who want their students to do the same.

If you need further justification for integrating tools like ReciteThis into your lessons, then use the visual literacy rationale. That’s right! We live in a world in which our students are constantly bombarded with images; thus, it is essential for them to have the skills to recognize, interpret and understand the context of these signs, pictures, graphics and/or symbols in order to make meaning of their environment.

Want to add another layer of technology in connection with quote images? Then consider utilizing Edmodo, an educational microblogging platform that allows students to share and discuss their responses to quote images in a collaborative online environment. Not only is this application engaging and relevant, but students really enjoy completing writing assignments in this manner.

Up next: A quote image creation tool that allows users to upload their own background photos! Stay tuned…

Hey, edu-tech gurus!

Looking for some technology integration ideas to enhance your classroom lessons? Then be sure to check out my "Tech Tips" for the latest and greatest Web 2.0 tools, applications and web sites that can be incorporated into activities and/or projects. Although some posts may not be applicable to your content area or grade level, be sure to check back often as I will be varying ideas in order to provide resources across the K-12 curriculum.